Suggestive Sell
by poppyseedfox
Summary: "I don't know what unearthly force compelled me to open my mouth. Judging by the man's reaction, I had the sinking feeling that I was about to be arrested. Not that I would've completely minded the handcuffs, though I'm sure we had different ideas on that front." Yugi works at a convenience store and accidentally flirts with a cop named Atem. Blind/Puzzleshipping will change to M
1. Chapter 1: Clocking In

Hi everyone! This is my first fanfic in… god knows how many years. I think I wrote a one shot for Puzzleshipping back in late middle/early high school..? I'm a senior in college now, so either way it's been a while. And it was BAD. LIKE SURPRISINGLY-NOT-PURPOSEFUL-IN-THE-SLIGHTEST BAD. I've had ideas for various fics across many fandoms since then but never really had the drive to actually write them. Yet here I am, writing a fanfic that would probably fit better in 2010… Ah, who am I kidding? I don't care!

I got this idea from my own job in which I accidentally flirted with a customer (don't ask me how I did that because I'm not entirely sure myself) and I'll being using heavily abridged versions of other work stories to make it more fun! At the moment I have no beta for this fic so bear with me if it's... odd at some points. Like I said, fiction isn't really something that I've written in a long time and having this in first person also makes it an even more interesting challenge.

This fic will be listed as T for sexual suggestiveness and language, but it will change to M in later chapters.

Side Notes: This does take place in Japan but the references to cops and the justice system will more likely be accurate with America's system. Honestly this is just because I'm American and am obviously more knowledgeable on our justice system, though I can't promise that there still won't be any errors (but my brother is a Criminal Justice major so he can help me out with that a bit) It's just that I feel I'll be able to right a more fluid story by going this route. It's not the biggest deal, but I thought I'd mention it!

Okay, enough of all of that! Hopefully you guys will enjoy and feel free to leave reviews at your leisure! :)

* * *

 ** _Chapter 1: Clocking In_**

* * *

 _*Beep*Beep*Beep*Beep*_

Somewhere deep in my mind, I had registered that this was the 3rd time my alarm had gone off, but the fog that comes with being half asleep surrounded the thought and I remained engulfed by the warmth of my blankets. I always slept with more than one as I had the habit of kicking them off myself during the night, but I must've been unconsciously cold enough that I created a sort of half-hazard nest around me. I probed one hand from the underside of a blanket and silenced my phone on the table next to my bed before bringing it to my face to rub my eyes lazily. It took me a few more moments to register the fact that my blonde bangs were sticking to my face with the help of sweat. There was also an uncomfortable tug on my scalp caused by my hair laying in strange way and I brought my hand up to ruffle it back into some form of star-shaped normalcy. I might've even stayed there for a few more minutes if it wasn't for the rumble I heard underneath my shirt. It's funny how the prospect of food was much more effective at waking me than the possibility of losing the job that I desperately needed, but I was too dazed to dwell on it fully. Instead, I kicked my feet over the side of the bed with legs still entangled by the blankets and trudged my way towards the kitchen.

After munching on a few pieces of toast and downing a glass of orange juice, I begrudgingly finished my morning routine and stared at myself in my bathroom mirror as I buttoned up my red work shirt. My hair wasn't completely dry even after 20 minutes with a blow-dryer on high heat yet it was already pointing at the burgundy ends while the blonde pieces fell neatly to frame my face, a small curl sat precisely on the middle of my forehead.

In a strange way, I envied my hair. It knew what it was supposed to do, where to go, how to bend in a breeze yet retain its shape in the process. The rest of me could never seem to keep at the same pace. I always felt jerked in many directions, most of the as a result of my poor judgment, and I often felt uncertain. Not that I would admit it to anyone. It just would've been me preaching to the choir. Maybe that's why I began going to college a year ago, a major in Archeology and a minor in Art History. I secretly felt solace in the fact that I wasn't the only one who had no clue of what to do with my life. Picking a seemingly dead end major and secluding myself from the other students wasn't much of a help, but I still felt a sort of a comradery with everyone. At least I had friends at work that I could actually talk to, especially since I saw them much more regularly than the students within the Domino University walls. With them, I could be my snarky, goofy self instead of being reduced to a shy, anxious little boy. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of them and quickly fixed my collar before briskly treading down the stairs to grab my house keys off the counter.

* * *

After a long bus ride, I finally made it to my stop. I rushed through the bus aisle and almost landed face first on the sidewalk as I tried jumping the stairs.

"Hey! Watch it, kid! I don't be needin' no blood on the bus now!" I heard the bus driver call. I quickly recovered from my dismount and ignored his comment, brushing past an endless sea of faces until I finally made it to a familiar storefront.

Above the entrance to the run down building was a large, lit up sign that read the same name that was embroidered on my shirt: Kingdom Korner, a convenience store that was tucked tightly between newer, towering buildings in the city. I wasn't sure who in the hell came up with the name, but I assumed that they were immediately fired for such a cheesy name and that the only reason why no one bothered to change it was that the owners were too cheap to buy a new sign. But that was the least of their worries in my opinion. The outside was covered in warn down, dirty off-white paneling and the roof leaked like hell even when it rained lightly. Yet there must've been some kind of charm that I was missing as it appeared to be the most favored convenience store in town, which was surprising considering how many newer stores had opened up in the past couple of months. Leave it to summer time to bring in the business owners hoping to cash in on the students out of school.

I pushed open the door and glanced to my right towards the registers. I could hear rustling and swearing past my gaze that I immediately recognized as my manager but I ignored it and instead went up to my coworker Anzu Mazaki. She was behind one of the three registers fixing some display items that had been mixed around by customers. She glanced up through her russet bangs and grinned as I approached.

"Good morning, Yugi!" She greeted enthusiastically, leaning her body against the counter to be at eye level with me. Though we were both 19, she was at least a foot taller than me, even when considering my hairdo as a factor. Without it, I was around 5'3" tall, which was a height that I had been stuck at since the 7th grade. As a result, the majority of my life was riddled with people either taking advantage of my… 'short-comings' or 'be-littling' me. Or worst of all: making horrible jokes about it.

 _Seriously, who… reduces themselves to that level._

"Morning, Mazaki-chan!"

Anzu reached out a finger and gently prodded my forehead, rolling her eyes.

"I swear to God, Yugi, if you keep calling me by my last name I'm going to go and legally change it to something so horrendous that you'll HAVE to use my first name."

It was my turn to roll my eyes as I backed away from her onslaught to make my way around the counter and punch in.

"My goodness, you're absolutely right! It's almost as if I was Japanese or something."

She scoffed but couldn't stifle the giggles behind it. "…You are such a sarcastic little asshole, you know that?"

I sighed dramatically and leaned against another one of the registers.

"My word you wound me! How dare you say such a thing about me?!"

She raised an eyebrow at that. "What? That you're an asshole?"

"No. That I'm little."

She reached over and lovingly placed her hand over one of my shoulders and cooed.

"Aww don't worry, sweetie. Just be sure to drink your milk and someday you'll be as big and strong as Jounouchi!"

I stuck my tongue out at her before I realized that said blonde was missing from the picture. I looked around, surprised not to see him.

"Speaking of which, where is he?"

She dropped her arm to her side before answering me.

"He called in sick this morning, which means it's going to just be you, me, and Pegasus the _whole_ shift."

I grimaced and this time sought out my manager who I could still hear grumbling from the back of the store. His long, white hair was bright enough that the fluorescent lights above illuminated it like headlights on a traffic cone. He was stocking chips in one of the isles and seemed to be having a fit over something. It really didn't take long for something to set the man off, but a majority of the time he was full of charm like some sort of dignified ruler. At least that's how he described his personality. I liked to think of him more as a… sexual predator.

I rubbed my temple, expecting the worst for a Saturday morning in the dead of summer. We'd most likely be the hotspot for anyone looking to escape the heat, all while we had other general tasks that had to be done by the end of our shift.

 _Would everything get done with Jounouchi missing? It seemed about as likely as my true love walking through the doors and sweeping me off my feet._

I sighed, brushing my bangs from my face before stretching my arms up with a satisfying pop.

"Well, I guess I better go ask Pegasus what needs to be done today," I announced as I glanced to see a few bodies already filing into the store, "Can you handle the front for a bit?"

Anzu nodded. "Sure can, but you might wanna put your nametag on first."

I tilted my head in confusion and groped my chest looking for the golden pin. Nothing. Super.

"Back pockets?" she suggested.

"Just my wallet and keys."

"Well then…" she trailed off as she grabbed something from atop her register, "I guess you'll be 'Jounouchi' instead of 'Mutou' for today."

She handed me Jounouchi's pin and shook her head as I took it from her and placed it properly on my shirt, "Honestly you'd swear I was the mother of you two. You guys need to keep better track of your names or someone might take them from under you. Not counting this instance, of course."

She gave me another comedic opening that I couldn't refuse even if I tried.

"Well, since I'm 'Jounouchi' today, does that also mean that I get to be tall?"

She clicked he tongue and considered it for a moment as she turned towards an approaching customer.

"Sorry, genes are non-traversable in this establishment."

One second: a blink. Another second: I felt my skin pale.

"Holy-Anzu _oh my God."_

 _Thanks, Anzu. It wasn't as if I was still attemping to rid myself of that memory from months prior. Leave it to Jounouchi to try to get to third base with a girl in the backroom and mentally scar his two friends all in the same night. Why did I want him there again?_

I mentally slapped myself out of shock at the reminder of the situation and B-lined for my manager. The man's face immediately brightened when I walked up next to him. He looked me up and down with his one eye from his place on the floor and smirked.

"Why hello there, Yugi-boy."

Oh right. Horny teenager trumped sexual predator. I was going to be in for a long day.

* * *

So that was the introduction! I apologize for the puns and I have nothing to say for myself. Review please!


	2. Chapter 2: Clocking Out

Woohoo! Time for a new chapter!

I made some revisions to the previous chapter, but there are only really two key things that I need to point out for those of you who read it before the changes were made:

1\. The store is now called 'Kingdom Korner' and not 'Kame Korner'. The Kame Game Shop still exists! It was just a dumb error on my part ^^;

2\. The nametag that Yugi's wearing says 'Jounouchi' instead of 'Katsuya'. I made the classic oops of mixing up the name order which is the opposite in Japan (last name, first name). I also constantly forget that 'Jounouchi' is his last name and not his first.

Author's Note(s): Every time you see sentences in italics, it's Yugi's inner monologue in the moment rather than past tense. I used it a little bit in the last chapter, but there's a ton of it in this one… maybe too much hehe. Also, holy hell sassy Yugi I didn't mean for this to happen I swear!

I'm going to try to update this puppy every week (probably Tuesdays). However, I can't guarantee that 100% because my work schedule fluctuates a lot.

Btw the cover art is also by me! C:

Anyway, on with the chapter!

 **WARNING:** Depiction of past violence and offensive slurs/ language! It's not very long but be aware that it's in here! (and here I thought this was supposed to be a comedy hurhur)

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2: Clocking Out**_

* * *

If there was one thing about me that I had to choose as a positive trait, it would be my intuition. It wasn't as if I had some magical abilities or anything. I was just able to fuse common sense with pattern recognition. Growing up with a gaming fanatic like my Grandpa had allowed me to harness and perfect the skill on a daily basis. Most of the time, it was helpful.

 _Hmm... My art history professor hasn't had a quiz in weeks? Better study because that means that he'll probably have one soon._

Ding! Had a test the next day and got 100%.

 _Playing duel monsters and my opponent is going about the game defensively with 2 facedown cards? Must be a trap card that's going to wipe out my monsters if I attack. Better play Harpie's Feather Duster._

Ding! Right again! A Mirror Force and Spell Spinding Circle destroyed!

But then there were occasions such as that morning that my "all-knowing" gift got on my last nerve.

Within an hour of my shift, Kingdom Korner blew up to max capacity. Anzu and I worked briskly behind the registers and did our best to accommodate each customer. Well, at least I tried my best to. Anzu on the other hand was just naturally amazing at customer service.

Bags are full of heavy items? It'll be doubled bagged. Did we have some sort of promotion going on for an item a customer was buying and they weren't previously aware of it? They'd instantly get the discount added to their order. Plus, she practically knew where every item was located in the store. From the most popular brands of chips to some unheard of type of gum, if you asked her, she'd know in and instant if we carried it or not.

Me, I just tried to get through every customer and quickly as I could. Despite it being only a little over an hour into the shift, I was already down to an almost mechanical process: say 'hello', scan, bag, take cash, give change, "have a nice day". Pegasus had written down a list of the tasks that he required me to do and while I had a few of them done already, it felt around 50 pounds as it sat in my front pocket. I was not good at dealing with strangers and could be overwhelmed easily so it took all of my self-control to not leap over the counter and sprint into the backroom for a moment of peace. At one point, I had dropped the cash a customer had handed me, all in coins, and I fumbled and they scattered all behind the registers.

"Ah! Oh crap, I'm so sorry! Just give me a second, please! I'll get it!"

As I bent down to retrieve them while sputtering more apologizes, I could sense Anzu's look of concern along my back. My eyes were wide and I could feel my face increase in temperature. She excused herself from the customer she was helping and bent down next to me, handing me a few that had fallen next to her feet.

"Here, Yugi," She whispered gently, titling her hand and letting the money fall gently into my outward palm as if it were made of glass.

I looked down at the money in my hand and did some mental calculation about how much more I needed to find. "Thanks, Anzu."

She smiled slightly before bracing one hand on the counter to lift herself back up.

"Are you going to be okay today?"

I nodded hesitantly, finding the rest of the money needed and began to stand as well. I felt my legs wobble slightly and her hand went across my back, preventing me from falling backwards. She sighed.

"No, you're not."

I knew she was right, but I ignored her as I finished helping the customer. I gave them a final apologetic smile but they just blew it off with a huff of annoyance and turned while mumbling something about 'kids these days'.

I bowed my head in embarrassment but quickly lifted it with a yelp of surprise when I was yanked backwards by my arm. I turned to see my manager looking down at me. Pegasus released my arm and maneuvered around me to my original place at the counter. He was shaking his head.

"Again, Yugi-boy?"

My face flushed even more and I turned, refusing to look him in the eye. I heard his body shift to address Anzu. "Can you handle yourself for a moment, Mazaki-chan?"

"Of-of course, sir," she answered.

He then leaned his face close to mine to prevent the customers waiting in line from eavesdropping, but it didn't help ease my embarrassment in the slightest. I was still clearly an employee being scolded by their boss.

"You have no troubles talking to Mazaki-chan or Jounouchi-kun, but as soon as you see an unfamiliar face, you freeze up with your tail between your legs. This is third incident this week and it's only Tuesday."

I peeked up at him through my eyelashes and saw the disappointment plain as day on his face. He was right, I was comfortable with them, but that had taken a whole year of working with them to get to the point that we were at. I groaned before responding to his statement. "I know, I know. I'm sorry."

He brought his hands up to his temple and rubbed them in annoyance. "Look, you're a sweet kid and all, but this social anxiety crap has to stop. I hired you partially because I owe your grandpa a debt, but I've kept you because I know you that you're a productive worker. I could go outside right now and hire 5 high school and college students on the spot, but I won't because I know that you can work 10 times as hard as all of them. I've given you _plenty_ of time to adjust to all of this and I need you to step up."

I shook my head to clear it a little and wiped at a tear that threated to fall down my cheek.

He noticed.

"Look, just… go grab a cub and get something to drink. My treat. I'll help Mazaki-chan with the front for a while."

I lifted my head up completely at that. "But-"

The look he gave me sent a clear message: ' _Are you fucking serious? Shut up and do what I say before your dumb ass is fired.'_

"Okay. Thanks," I replied as I stepped away from him and maneuvered around the counter.

"Go outside for a bit too," he suggested with his attention now towards the line of people, a grin planted on his now relaxed face, "I can help the next person, please!"

"Sure thing, Boss," I muttered under my breath as I headed to our drink fountain.

* * *

With a small, cherry slushy in hand, I leaned my back against a rickety bench I was sitting on near the ourside of the store and breathed deeply. The heat did nothing to soothe the redness of my face so the attempt was in vain, but it was much quieter out near the street than it was inside. And that was saying something. It wasn't one of the main drags, but it was one of the easiest routes to the beaches. Through the humidity of the air, I could vaguely smell the sea salt if I concentrated hard enough. The thought of rolling waves relaxed me slightly, not completely, but it was enough to slow my breathing back to normal. I closed my eyes and couldn't help but reprimand myself in my head.

 _Why am I like this?! Seriously, there's no point to it whatsoever! No one's going to bite me in there!_

Truth be told, I had a pretty good idea of why I had social issues. A lot of my anxiety most likely stemmed from my school days when I was bullied. The one defining moment though was the one instance when I was beaten up in high school. I could still feel their fists against my face, the gurgles of pain in my throat as I was choked, the look in their eyes which held no sympathy for what they were doing to me.

 _Words laced with poison,_ _ **"WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!"**_

 _A pain along my scalp as my hair was pulled every which way. BANG! Head on concrete, dampness of blood through my locks. A ringing in my ears that was cruelly soft enough to hear their words above it._

 ** _"DIE, YOU FUCKING FAGGOT!"_**

*WHAM*

I opened my eyes wide when I recognized that the last sound was real and I darted my head left and right, seeking its origin. Parked next to curb not too far from me there was now a police car that hadn't been there previously. It was the standard colors, black and white, with red and blue sirens on the roof, but it also had an insignia that read 'POLICE Domino City' on the side of the doors.

 _Yes, because no one could've ever guessed that it was a squad car without that decal._

The tension in my body that I had been holding was released after realizing that I wasn't in any danger. The driver must've slammed the door after exiting the car. I couldn't quite see them clearly as the vehicle was blocking them from my vision, but I could see part of their body through the windows and saw that they were making their way around and towards Kingdom Korner. And they would most definitely be passing me along the way.

I realized that some tears had escaped unknowingly through my puffy eyes and I rubbed at them vigorously with the back of my hands, staring down at the slushy that was sat between my thighs like it was the most intriguing thing in the world.

 _Nothing to see here, officer. Just a grown man crying like a wimp in front of the establishment that he works at._

I was hoping that if they did notice me, they'd assume that I had been fired or something along those lines, hence the tears.

I heard footsteps clack against the pavement, getting louder as the cop walked closer. They did, however, stop and I looked up enough to see some black boots facing in my direction.

 _Please,_ _ **please**_ _don't be one of those cops that has to be involved in everyone's business._

"Excuse me, sir, but are you alright?"

 _Dammit._

The voice was smooth and deep, definitely a man, but also laced with concern. Figuring that I had no choice in the matter, I chanced a glance up, words of reassurance that I was okay ready to fall from my lips.

They were stopped dead in their tracks when our eyes met.

Let me say outright that I am bisexual. I've always known that; boobs are great, dicks are great, so with that in mind…

 _Is anyone else aware that this man has found a way to embed rubies where his eyes should be?_

They were the deepest crimson I had ever seen, outlined by dark eyebrows and thin eyeliner that flared at the sides. It was subtle enough that you wouldn't notice the makeup without a second glance, but it completed the look like a bow on a Christmas present. His skin was a deep caramel, a color that wasn't achieved just by a pure outdoor lifestyle and it contrasted his blonde bangs perfectly. Come to think of it, his hair was almost identical to mine; an ebony star shape outlined with burgundy ends and golden bangs that stuck out every which way. The only difference between our fringes was that he had more strands of gold amongst the jet back and lacked a small curl in the front. The burgundy was also a little frizzier along the sides as if a gust of wind had disrupted the spikes, but the disheveled look did nothing but enhance his attractiveness.

His uniform was an ashy grey button up shirt with a black tie and various badges and patches adorning his shoulders and chest. The sleeves were just short enough that I could see some well-toned biceps peek out; not too thick but not paper thin either. His pants were just as black as his tie and were held up by a belt with various pouches and a gun holster, shirt tucked underneath it. My eyes were drawn back up to his clearly well-built chest when I heard a broken voice shout through his walkie-talkie on his shoulder. Underneath that was a name tag.

 **Officer Sennen.**

 _Okay, if his last name is that sexy, I_ _ **need**_ _to know how his first name compares._

Not that I could begin to ask as my mouth was still as dry as Death Valley.

The officer seemed to be looking me over as well, though clearly not in the lusty way I was. His lips morphed into a crooked smile when the silence continued to grow longer and he cleared his throat and if he was doing it for me. I followed suit, but before I could work up the courage to finally say something, I heard a 'pop' down below.

Apparently I squeezed my thighs tight enough together that the pressure had popped off the cover of my drink and allowed the slushy mix to flow up and over the rim. I squeaked and pushed the cup away before the red liquid could dribble onto my pants… and right onto the officer's shoes.

 _Oops._

"Waah! Oh shit-I mean, I'm so sorry, officer!" I cried as I abruptly shot up, my chest almost up against his. "Hang on, I'll go inside and get some paper towels!"

As I tried to rush past him and avoid the slush on the pavement, he grabbed my wrist, his long fingers encircling my pale-by-comparison skin. A jolt of something akin to electrical shock burst through my arm and I gasped. When I turned towards him, the look on his face was calm and gentle.

"There is no need. They will not stain and in this heat they should dry momentarily."

The way he spoke was very formal Japanese, the type usually attributed to very old men or foreigners. He was clearly not the former; he couldn't have been more than 5 years older than me, but I wasn't sure about the latter due to his last name. It would explain the skin color at least.

"If… if you're sure, sir," I stammered. My voice was slightly higher pitched than normal and I groaned internally when I rapidly comprehended the reason why. I'd had enough experience in bed and lonely nights in my comfy apartment to hear that tone before.

 _No, Little Yugi- bad! Not now!_

"I am," the officer reassured, the man completely unaware the internal battle that was occurring because of his presence and warmth against my skin. Somehow, his body temperature was scorching my wrist in a way that the sun couldn't accomplish and it gave me goose bumps.

With both of us standing so close, I noticed that he was a little bit taller than me with the top of my head landing at the underside of his thin chin. His jaw was tight as if he had a lot to say but didn't out of fear that I might bolt. At that moment, I figured that if I didn't get him to talk, he'd just continue to stand there paralyzed.

"Um… would you mind.. uhh."

His jaw unhinged at that. "You were crying," he stated bluntly.

Anger flared in my gut at that. Whether it was actually due to his words or the memories that had produced the aforementioned tears I wasn't sure.

 _Why in the FUCK does it matter to you?! It was just tears, what's the big deal?_

"Don't you have some old lady the help across the street?"

The harshness of my own tone surprised me and I shuddered at it. I hadn't meant to voice my thoughts like I had, especially at an officer.

 _After all, he may very well be sincerely concerned, although it's misplaced. He clearly doesn't have down the concept of personal space._

If he was angered by my words, he didn't look it. If anything, his expression looked even more compassionate as if he understood that my outburst was not entirely directed towards him. He did release my wrist though, placing the same hand along his thin waist instead. His movement prompted me to shift as well so I turned away from his line of sight.

"Crap, I-look…" I sighed, rubbing my temple before starting again, "My boss is probably wondering what's taking me so long out here. I appreciate you concern, really I do, but I'm alright." If he had at all come to the false conclusion that I was indeed fired, my words trounced that theory instantly.

There was a long pause that followed which I interpreted as a sign that he wasn't going to respond. As I moved for the entrance again, I heard him chuckle lightly behind me. It stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Only if you are sure," I heard him jest lightly.

The urge to turn towards him was too great and I looked at him against my better judgment. A warm, reassuring smile was plastered on the cop's face. No resentment. It was completely sincere.

I couldn't resist returning him the same, "I am."

The officer's smile grew; he was practically beaming at that point, and maneuvered around me to brace the door with his forearm, pushing it open. His free hand was palm up and gesturing indoors.

"Then after you," he encouraged.

 _Well, clearly chivalry isn't dead. It's very much alive. And damn sexy apparently._

"Uh… thanks," I offered dumbly.

His smile didn't falter as he followed in after me.

* * *

Once inside, I made my way back towards my station while the cop went to peruse around the store.

 _Poor guy. I'm sure he wasn't expecting to deal with someone like me so early in the morning._

Both Anzu and Pegasus watched me carefully as I came closer. Once I was stood in front of my manager, I placed a hand over the top of the monitor and drummed my fingers on it lightly.

"I'm ready to take over, Pegasus," I offered.

He seemed surprised at my eagerness, though it definitely wasn't 100%, but he slid away from his place and strode into the back room. Anzu tilted her head at me as if to ask what had happened, but I just gave her a look that said 'I'll tell you later'. It seemed to sate her curiosity for the time being and we both turned our attention to the shoppers.

The store had slowed down some by that point. Most people had rushed in and out before their own jobs and only a few stragglers remained. This of course gave me ample opportunity to study a certain cop who was mixing sugar into the coffee that he poured. He bent down to retrieve a cover under the counter and he was at just the right angle for me to view his… assets.

"Alright, spill," I heard a whisper in my ear.

I flinched even knowing that it was Anzu and turned towards her.

"What do you mean? I've already done enough spilling for one day."

Of course she didn't understand what I was talking about but I nodded over to the coffee bar before she could question me further.

"See that cop over there?"

She grinned. "You mean the one with the great ass? Or course I did."

Well, at least she wasn't blind.

With a stray bang in my hand, I twirled it around my index finger nervously.

"Well I uh… I might've, just possibly, splattered some cherry slushy all over his shoes."

She gaped at me and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me in disbelief. "You did NOT!"

An embarrassed laugh escaped my lips. "I did," I confirmed.

She removed her hands and proceeded to busy herself with the cigarettes above us. "You know, there are better ways at flirting with a man than getting him all sticky on the first meeting."

"ANZU!" I gasped.

She merely shrugged her shoulders as is her previous statement was completely innocent in nature. "Well, you're the one who did it."

"It wasn't on purpose!" I protested, but it fell on deaf ears as her attention was back on the man. Not that I blamed her. Anyone with eyes would it difficult not to stare. Even if I was straight, I still would've noticed him.

"So, what did you say?"

"Nothing really," I replied honestly, "I just sorta got pissey with him. As is my way."

"Smooth."

I groaned. "Why must you _always_ assume that I'm trying to get in bed with every hot person that I've ever come in contact with?"

"Have you SEEN him?! Of course you want him. I know I do. Preferably handcuffed to my bed."

"Thanks for the insight into the hidden fantasies of your mind, Anzu."

"Anytime. Besides, I figure he's got a few extra pair."

I leaned my elbows on the counter and stared off deliberately into other areas of the store as she finished organizing.

"But seriously, Yugi, _do_ you?"

"I've yelled at him, spilt shit on his shoes, and have known him all of 30 minutes. What do you think?"

She pondered that for a moment as if it was a serious query. "Well, judging by how you're avoiding eye contact with him, I'd say yes."

"'Eye contact?'" I repeated, turning back towards her.

"Yeah. You must've gotten his attention because he keeps looking back over here."

Every portion of my body besides my brain screamed at me to look up and confirm what Anzu had said for myself, but I was able to keep my place on the counter with only a slight twinge of surprise. "WHA?!"

She rolled her eyes at me and placed her hands on her hips. "Just be nice to him. Tell him that his coffee's on us. I've never seen him here before, so he's probably not aware that he can get his coffee for free by being on duty."

My face met the counter with a soft 'bam' and I grumbled into it. "You do it then. I don't think I can."

"Yes you can," she encouraged, patting me on the back, "Just be yourself. Smile. Complete the transaction like a normal, overly-excited-about-their-job employee."

I turned my head enough that my check was bracing my head. "Wait, what transaction?"

"The one you're about to have right now. I'll be right back!"

And with that, I heard her race behind me to somewhere amongst the shelves where I couldn't see her.

 _Oh hell no, she's not actually-_

"Is this register open?" questioned a familiar, baritone voice.

 _She_ _ **is**_ _._

I bolted upright and braced the edge of the countertop for support. The fire under my skin returned with a vengeance while the officer waited patiently for me to say something. Instead of being secluded to my face, the heat made its way throughout my whole body like a flare across a fuse and on its way to dynamite. All I needed to do was just treat him like any other customer, like the whole altercation outside had no effect on me in any way, shape or form. Considering how easily he seemed to read me before, I was pretty sure that I didn't have a prayer.

 _If any higher power can hear me, please help._

"Ho-how are you this morning, officer?"

 _Good, good. A little shaky on the execution, but overall a normal way to start._

"I'm doing just fine, thank you. And yourself?"

 _Okay, so he's not going to bring it up. Phew. Cool. I can work with that, no problem. Just gotta do what Anzu said and he'll be out of here._

…

Did I really want that?

"I'm… good thanks. So… is it just the coffee today then?"

 _That'll work. Keep it up!_

"Yes. That is all for me today."

 _Almost there…_

It was at this point that I leaned onto the counter and traced my fingers over his cup lightly. My gaze was set on him as looked up and my mouth drew cheekily at the corners.

 _Self…_

I don't know what unearthly force compelled me to open my mouth after that. Judging by the man's reaction, I had the sinking feeling that I was about to be arrested. Not that I would've completely minded the handcuffs, though I'm sure we had different ideas on that front.

 _Wait- no, oh PLEASE no!_

"Then you're all set. It's on me today. Unless there's something else that I could do for you…?"

 _And_ _ **BOOM**_ _goes the dynamite!_

There was no way in hell that what I said could be interpreted as an accidental innuendo. The offer had sounded so sexual, so _eager_ , more so than I had ever heard come from myself before. I froze in shock, I couldn't breathe, couldn't hear; the world was lost to me. The only thing holding me down and preventing me from running was, ironically, _him_. In that moment, his reaction was everything to me. I could've sworn that I saw a twinge of a red beneath the tan, but besides the split second that I saw his eyes widen, he didn't seem very responsive either. We just continued to stare at each other like lost souls trying to find an anchor amongst the other without much success. I watched as his lips finally parted after what seemed like an eternity and-

"Um, _excuse me_? There are people in this store that have places to be and jobs to actually do!"

His jaw clamped shut and he glanced down at my hand which was still on his coffee, as if his gaze could produce some spell to pry it away. I shot my hand back and drew up enough courage to finish the checklist in my head.

"W-well thank you for shopping with us, sir! Please come again!" I practically shouted at him.

 _Yeah right._

With a curt nod of understanding, he retrieved his probably cold-by-then coffee and briskly trekked out the door. As soon as it closed with his retreat, Anzu whirled back around the counter at lightning speed to help me out. I had never seen her go through customers so quickly and without her meticulous service. Of course I could gander a guess as to why that was. She's practically had a front row seat to the altercation and I was absolutely positive that she was going to berate me for what I did. My movements slowed with each customer, hoping to avoid the pending conversation as long as possible. All too soon, the morning workers all dispersed with their coffees and donuts and I was left alone with my coworker. After wishing my last customer a farewell, I didn't dare move. I was practically a deer in the headlights and she was heading right for me. I heard her inhale sharply and I braced for the impact.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!" she shrieked.

I shuddered at her tone. "Yeah, I know that I fuc-"

"YOU WERE SOOOO CUTE!"

With that, I turned to her in disbelief. She was grinning like a proud parent whose child was the top of their class.

"Wait, what?" I questioned, completely dumbfounded.

She laughed lightly at that. "Sure, it was incredibly awkward, but that's part of your charm."

I groaned and waved my hands frantically in the air. "But it sounded like I was asking if he wanted me to… suggesting sexual services is **not** something normally approved of, Anzu!"

"Oh, but the look in your eyes when you said it…" she drifted off while batting her eyelashes dramatically, "I'm sure you just made his heart melt!"

I couldn't help but wander my gaze elsewhere and rubbed the back of my neck. I realized that she was trying to help me feel better, but she was giving me WAY to much credit. What I had said was a complete slip of the tongue, absolutely. I would never say anything like that to anyone I didn't know and hadn't established _that_ kind of relationship with beforehand. Anzu knew that. But _he_ didn't. He was probably grossed out beyond belief. There he was, trying to help a young adult feel better when he was so clearly down and the boy just threw that all back into his face. I felt vile just thinking about it. Had I been in his shoes, I surely would've come up with some bullshit reason to arrest me.

 _'You're under arrest for ruining my boots! Anything you say can and will be held against you…'_

Self-belittling aside, I decided to play into Anzu's hand, if only to get her off my back. "Yeah, well, apparently I didn't do the greatest job. He didn't sweep me off my feet and carry me out the door."

"Pfft, silly, that last part only comes after you're married." she reminded me with a wink, "Just remember, I look _fabulous_ in red."

 _If she thinks for one second that I'd be the bride…_

"Sure, Anzu," I retorted with an eye roll, "In your dreams."

"Oh, I'm sure I have enough material to keep me satisfied until he comes in again."

It was my turn to laugh for once. "After all of that?! I'm sure the last person to find whatever _that_ was attractive is a cop."

"You saw the way he reacted, right? I believe we were watching the same person."

 _Vile…_

"Yeah, and it looked like he'd sooner put his gun in my mouth than anything suggestive that you're thinking of."

She huffed when she seemed to realize that she wasn't going to get any further with me. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Yugi."

Yeah… sleep. That was DEFIANATELY what I had planned once I got home. Top priority. First on the check list. Yup.

 _…_

 _…_

 _…I wonder how much lotion I have left next to my bed._

 _…_

 _…!?_

 _WAIT! NO, LITTLE YUGI! VILE, REMEMBER?!_

* * *

Phew… so that was over twice the length of the first chapter! I tried to give Anzu a little more character than what she canonly does, so I hope she's enjoyable. Also, I can already tell that writing for Atem is going to be WAY too much fun. Review please! It helps to trounce the writer's block!

 _ ***In Response to a Review for this Chapter Regarding Yugi's 'Flirting'*** As being someone who suffers from anxiety disorder and has a hard time talking with people, sometimes your thoughts get jumbled in your head and you say things that you don't mean to (such as what Yugi does), especially in situations of extreme stress. Of course, what he says is clearly on the extreme end, but it's meant to be. All for the sake of comedy. I apologize that it's not 100% clear what my intentions were. ^^; I'm just posting this here in case anyone else is wondering._


	3. Chapter 3: Overtime

Hi guys! It's finally time for Chapter 3 (clearly lol)! I've been so busy moving and working amongst other typical adult dilemmas, so I'm sorry it's a little bit late! I might update every week and a half instead just because of how life is right now. I promise though that I think up new ideas for this story each day! Hopefully I'll find a pace that'll work for me until school starts. Ironically I'll be less busy then.

But anyway, let's see how our boys fare this time and how much Yugi can embarrass himself. Sometimes I think I'm too harsh on the guy haha. Also, I'd forgotten just how sassy Yugi can be in the English dub of the anime. Like damn. Calm it. So without further ado, let the sass commence!

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3: Overtime**_

* * *

The rest of the week was surprisingly uneventful. None of the customers were all too demanding or troublesome, and I was able to hide any signs that I was uncomfortable even when it was busy. Having an influx of people meant that I was too preoccupied with checking them out rather than the cop that was still prominent in my brain. At least, I would've been checking him out had he showed up again. I had figured that he wouldn't, I know I wouldn't have, but a small part of me felt a twinge of disappointment that he hadn't. More than just ogling him, I wanted to apologize. What had come over me I wasn't sure, so I just chalked it up as a visceral reaction to him and nothing more.

At least, that's what I had hoped was the case.

Anzu could clearly see that I still had Officer Sennen on my mind. I knew that because I've been told throughout my life that my face gave everything away. Despite how badly I could sense that she wanted to speak up, she left me to my internal battle for the most part. She hadn't said anything to Jounouchi when he came back to work the next day or to anyone else and I appreciated the hell out of it. The only thing that she really did, and it surprised me every time, was that she would pop up her head almost as fast as me whenever there was the familiar ring of the bell above the door.

 _Could it be- nope. Old lady with a cane. Definitely not my type._

With each false sighting that occurred, Anzu would look at me carefully out of the corner of her eyes before returning to what she was doing. It wasn't until the following Monday that she finally said something to me. I heard her huff while I was staring off into space. You could probably make a guess as to who I was thinking about.

"Okay, Yugi," she began carefully, "For just being a guy you have no more than a sexual interest in, you sure seem to be thinking about him a lot."

I was going to defend myself, really I was, but I knew it would've been in vain. It would've given me no sense of relief to lie when I knew she was right.

I merely sighed in defeat. "I know."

"I this just about saying that you're sorry?"

"Yes," I began, but it felt like poison in my mouth, "Well, no. Or maybe? I don't know, Anzu."

She gave me her classic motherly look and patted the top of my head lovingly, brushing her fingers in my hair in an attempt to soothe me. It worked somewhat.

"If I could bring him here, you know I would. Even if I'd have to drag him by his dick."

Laughter burst through my chest despite my internal dilemma and I drew closer to her and wrapped my arms around her waist.

"It's good to know that you look out for me," I whispered, leaning my head into her torso.

She returned the hug with vigor at the tone of my voice and giggled too. "Of course. Like I told you before, I have to look out for my sons."

"At least tell me that I'm the favorite."

She drew back and ruffled my spikes into disarray. "As if there'd be any doubt."

"Funny, I wasn't aware that you'd signed any adoption papers, Anzu."

Both of us whipped our heads around to acknowledge the voice that we recognized as Jounouchi's, though it was a little more nasaled than usual due to the cold he was still recovering from. He was leaning against the wall near the counters with an amused grin on his face. Not that that was any different form usual. I hardly ever saw the blonde without one.

 _Because you're never fully dressed without a… never mind._

"Oh, _I_ never signed anything. I was listed as the next living relative, so I had to take you in."

Jounouchi flounced his hair dramatically and draped his arm over his face.

"My own mother despises me so? And here I thought that I was a loyal, loving child."

Anzu stomped over to him and roughly pinched his checks before slapping one of them gently. Jounouchi winced at the force and rubbed at his face once he was free from her grasp. She grinned at his reaction. He was wise to not say anything.

"The only child I have that plays that part is Yugi," she stated, gesturing to me, "You should do well to act like your brother."

I rolled my eyes at their antics and chuckled while I was fixing my spikes. Those two always knew the best ways to cheer me up.

"Hey, I'm a great older brother," Jounouchi defended, huffing and crossing the small distance towards me. I was scooped up from under my arms and pressed against his chest, "Right, Yugi?"

My index finger tapped against my bottom lip as I contemplated his question. "Hey, last time I checked, _I_ was older than _you_!"

 _Well, it's only by a month and a few days, but it still counts!_

This time, he was fluffing up my hair and I tried to push myself away from the assault. He just snorted and pulled me even closer.

"Well, I'm taller than you, so that doesn't matter! Everyone just assumes that I'm older anyway."

I gasped at him wide eyed as he ceased creating a nest on my head. He just smirked devilishly and releasing me, turning away and hiding behind Anzu. Another wise move.

"Not that it matters though," he stated, revealing another one of his award winning smiles, "You _definitely_ are the favorite. That's what's important."

"Aww, you two are so sweet!" Anzu cheerfully declared, "Maybe having two sons isn't so bad!"

I couldn't agree with her more. Despite how… odd my friends could be at times, they were definitely family. Even though Jounouchi didn't know anything about my situation with the cop, he seemed to sense that I had been berating myself.

And there was no way in hell that he'd let me continue doing so.

…

But it didn't mean that he would stop making fun of my height.

* * *

A few more days went by and I had started to come to terms with what had happened. Not that it was through my own will by any means, mind you. This was mostly due to the days feeling akin to trudging through miles of quicksand, especially the mornings. Anzu had switched shifts with another coworker for a little while and had texted both Jounouchi and I how busy the nights had been. In comparison, I wouldn't have been shocked if a tumbleweed blew through. It at least would've caused some movement in the store.

With first shift tasks already completed by mid-day, Jounouchi was leaning on the register closest to our table fan and held his face right in front of it, eyes closed in contentment.

 _Yeah, sure, Jounouchi. Go ahead and block to only airflow back here._

With so many older electronics and machines squeezed into a small walkway and large windows letting the sun's rays pinpoint us directly, it got hot even with air conditioning running constantly. It also didn't help when Jounouchi was the equivalent of a big yellow bus and took up as much room as he wanted.

 _Like, could you park your big butt somewhere else, please?_

"For one thing, you get really ornery when you're even a little bit warm."

He lifted his head up to address me completely. Apparently my inner monologue didn't feel like staying that way that morning.

"And for another, I'm proud of my big butt."

Though he was leaning over, his butt was almost to my eye level and he shook it jokingly, bobbing his head to his own made up beat. I laughed and was almost tempted to slap him, _almost_ , when I heard a cough from behind us before my hand could even come close to making contact.

Pegasus stood tall with his arms crossed, ready and willing to scold us if we didn't try to do anything productive. The thing about Pegasus was that no matter if every task was done, the store was clean from top to bottom, and everything that could be stocked was, he expected us to make up some new, completely unnecessary duty. Well, that's how Jounouchi had thought of it anyway. At least that was the gist I had gotten over the countless texts of him complaining.

 _Gee, it's almost as if we're here to do a job or something._

To save the both of us from a lecture, I ducked around Pegasus and scratched at the back of my head, laughing awkwardly.

"Well, I'm going to go see if the candy isle needs rearranging. You know how those kids are, grabbing at things only to have their parents carelessly put them back on the shelves."

With that, I turned on my heel and started towards the aisles. My manager merely nodded whilst glaring at Jounouchi. He seemed to get the message and stood back upright with a groan of annoyance, also moving from behind the counter towards the back room.

"I'm gonna go check on inventory," he mumbled, "Are you staying up here, boss?"

"For now. You two boys, well, mainly you, Jounouchi, should just focus on keeping busy. I'm not paying you to stand around, you know."

I didn't need to be in hearing range to have a guess at what Jounouchi had probably responded with under his breath: 'You're hardly paying us at all'.

He's too cliché and predictable sometimes, that blonde.

So Jounouchi disappeared into the back and Pegasus busied himself with a guest that had wandered in. Meanwhile, I checked the dates on each wrapper and rearranged some of the disheveled displays. I hadn't entirely been joking when I said that kids made a mess of the sweets. Some days it would even take hours to put everything back in its proper place. Not that I minded it. It gave me the opportunity to step away from the registers now and again, and I appreciated the break even on the days when it was slow. Since it was one of those days, I busied myself in peace for quite a long time and only paused when the entrance bell tinkled across the store. It had become a habit to check if it was a certain cop at that point, so I peeked from behind the rack slowly so I couldn't be spotted.

 _Dammit, Yugi, stop giving yourself false hope with this guy! He's never going to-_

Considering that I am a person that always seems to run at the highest heat setting when embarrassed or surprised, I was completely taken aback by the feeling of my blood going cold.

That wasn't the only thing I was taken aback by either.

Standing in the entrance, clad in his uniform with an additional vest over it, was Officer Sennen. The sun at his back seemed to create a halo effect around him as his ruby eyes glanced around the store. He seemed to be looking for something, a frown across his just-as-gorgeous-as-I-remember features in slight annoyance and disappointment. I ducked back behind the shelves when I saw his eyes trailing towards me and I prayed he wouldn't spot me. He seemed to not have found what he was looking for as I listened to him stride to the counter. To my boss.

 _Oh God, if he thought that_ _ **I**_ _was bad, he's not going to like Mr. Sexual Predator one bit._

I chanced a look then, retreating just enough from my safe spot to see Pegasus glance up with a big grin and a twinkle in his eye. He leaned one elbow on the counter and rested his head on his hand.

 _Please behave, sir. Please!_

"Why hellooooo, officer! What can I do for you on this _bea-utiful_ morning!"

 _Son of a…_

True to the stoic nature of the police, he didn't seem the least bit phased by the antics of my manager. It most certainly wasn't the first time he'd been flirted with. Hell, I could almost guarantee that _I_ wasn't either, considering the freaks he's probably dealt with in the past. He'd been taught to just ignore that kind of thing and just do his job.

 _Yet the way he reacted to me…_

 _NOPE. Stop that train of thought right now, young man!_

Pegasus was rewarded with a small smile, though nothing pleasant seemed to be held in it.

"Good morning, sir," the police man replied, fake smile still plastered across his face, "I gather by your name tag that you are the owner of this establishment, yes?"

"My, so formal for someone so young," Pegusus remarked, his eyes trailing up and down the officer's body non-discreetly, "But, why yes, I am. To what to I owe this great… _pleasure_."

 _Ugh, excuse me while I barf._

The officer merely crossed his arms and continued to look indifferent to the man's suggestiveness. "I was hoping to speak with one of your employees actually."

My eyes must've been the size of dinner plates and my heart pounded in my chest.

 _No. Fucking. Way._

Pegasus raised an eyebrow, seemingly disappointed that his flirting had gone unacknowledged. "Oh… of course. They may not be working today, but I can definitely do my best to help you. Who were you looking for?"

 _This is NOT happening right now. Nope. Someone spiked my morning coffee and I'm having the most incredible, realistic hallucination from it._

The cop nodded his head and clicked his tongue quietly before speaking. "I am looking for a Jounouchi-san. Is he possibly in?"

 _I can't believe he-_

 _Wait._ _ **WHAT?!**_

I felt my heart break in two as confusion and disappointment swarmed like angry bees in my head. When had Jounouchi ever even spoken to him? Did the officer happen to stop by the one day I hadn't been working that past week? It didn't seem very likely.

 _Then… why?_

Why Jounouchi? Why not _me_?

 ** _Why me?_**

At least I could answer the latter without outside help.

My manager looked just as puzzled but still pushed himself from the counter and walked briskly to the back room without a word. My mouth went dry as I waited for Jounouchi to appear from the doorway like I knew he would be.

When he finally did, Pegasus was behind him and gestured to the inquirer.

"Here you go, officer, Jounouchi-kun," Pegasus introduced, lightly shoving the blonde behind the counter and directly in front of the police man, "Feel free to do with him as you wish."

"Um… you forgot to mention that he was a cop," Jounouchi commented, voice barely above a whisper that I had to strain to hear from my distance away. His face seemed to convey two emotions and only that: Number 1: He looked completely taken off guard. Clearly he didn't know the crimson-eyed man before him.

 _So Jounouchi's just as lost as I am. Fabulous._

Number 2 was a little more difficult to pick up if someone didn't know him as well as I did. I could hear a slight tremor as he spoke, and I completely understood why.

He'd always had an issue with the law.

He was forced away from his sister Shizuka at a young age by the government, placed into the home of his abusive father, and been arrested multiple times . Battery, petty theft, underage drinking; all side effects of his upbringing. Once he had enough money to move out and a job to sustain himself, he proceeded to take care of his constantly ill little sister without a second thought. Jounouchi held a clean record ever since, but as I watched him in the presence of a member of the law, he still couldn't help but revert back to primal instincts within his mind: fight or flight. Whatever choice he had decided on, he wisely stood paralyzed while he waited for the cop to speak first.

 _Not that he's going to get much from him by the looks of it._

He seemed just as bewildered by the other's presence, even if for different reasons.

"Well, uh… you will have to forgive me for saying this," the man started, arms crossed with slight frustration etched on his face, "But you must be mistaken. The young man that I spoke to previously looks nothing like him but was wearing that tag."

I gasped at hearing that, clutching unknowingly to my chest where my pin lay with my last name inscribed onto it: Mutou. The day that we had met, I had forgotten my name tag and had used Jounouchi's instead, so that meant…

He was intrigued enough to try to learn my family name but had gotten the wrong one in the process.

 _Honestly, only this kind of stuff could happen to me._

I watched carefully as the officer motioned to his hair and tugged at a maroon-tipped spike. "His hair has quite a resemblance to mine and he is… petite in stature."

 _Yup. Thanks for pointing that out as a defining factor._

He seemed to stare off distantly past the two men behind the register and sighed. "And he has lovely, violet eyes shaped like a cartouche."

My blush turned up another notch like a burner on a stove and I could've sworn that my jaw had hit the floor with a smack.

 _He thinks I'm- that my eyes are…_ _ **my**_ _eyes? What about_ _ **his**_ _?!_

With his amber eyes wide in astonishment, Jounouchi looked in my general direction before locking with my… cartouche eyes with an inquisitive gaze. It asked all the questions I didn't need to hear while my own features held no response to them. When he finally concluded that I was offering no explanation, he turned his attention to the cop instead.

Officer Sennen's presence with my fellow employees was far coarser than when he had interacted with me. Under his formal and polite speech lied a hidden, harsher tone that was incredibly demanding. Even with his obvious shorter stature, the two other men looked physically taken aback. It now made complete sense that the man was a cop. One minute he could be gentle and sincere and the next take charge when least expected. Anyone who hadn't succumbed to his aura would be borderline insane to go against his orders, lest they wanted to be beheaded.

Err… or arrested. Pick your poison.

I watched as Pegasus look to the blonde, his gaze strong enough to pull my coworker from his trance. He in turn seemed to silently plead with our manager, meaning that he was at least aware of my plight.

 _Bless you, Jounouchi. I'll never get irritated with your humongous butt being in front of the fan again._

At that, Pegasus merely grinned in sick delight before addressing the officer once more.

 _Pegasus, I swear to God, if you-_

" Oh, you must be referring to Mutou- kun! Of course, kind sir, he's right down that aisle over there!"

 _Go sit on a fucking flag pole._

He pointed in my general direction and I quickly maneuvered out of sight with a yelp before the officer had time to turn around. I wasn't sure if Pegasus had saw me eavesdropping or not, but he apparently had some bone to pick with me. Or he was just a dick. That's far more likely.

I heard the familiar clack of work boots against the store tile, its volume increasing with each step. Now it was my turn to choose whether or not to follow my natural instinct to flee, but I figured weaving through the small maze of aisles only to be tackled moments later didn't sound very appealing.

At least, I wouldn't mind if it led to something more...

...

 _Fucking... Other head? Yeah, you. Piss off._

Instead, I opted to return to my forgotten duties and ignore him as best I could. Foolproof, right? At least that was my master plan until he stood beside me as I was crouched on the floor with an opened box of Snickers in my lap. He wasn't even physically touching me and I felt like his presence set my skin prickle like an electrical wire. His eyes singed me in equal measure and I could practically feel holes being burned into my back from the intensity. We stayed like that for a moment while I continued to stock as if I was none the wiser, but he did tap his foot briefly and signaled for my attention with a clearing of his throat. Only then did I meet his smoldering eyes which softened drastically as violet met crimson. I figured I looked similar to a lost puppy. He further confirmed this by bending to his knees to meet me at eye level, expression still gentle.

"So, Mutou-san, I presume?"

It was then that I concluded that no sweeter words existed anywhere in the universe. My name draped from his thins lips like yards of the finest silk and I wished for nothing more than to be embraced by it. By him.

 _I wonder if his skin is just as luxurious as his voice…_

Somehow I tore my eyes from his thin mouth ( _When had that happened?_ ) and gulped before properly addressing him.

"Y-yes, officer." I said as I thought carefully about my next words. There was no need to repeat the… insinuation that had occurred during our last encounter. "Is… there something I can do for you?"

This time he seemed to be the embarrassed one. There was no blush hidden below his features, but his ruby pools reveled a strange sense of insecurity. He brought up a hand to rub the nape of his neck before resting it one his opposite shoulder.

"Well, yes, actually," He started, his eyes still sparkling but with another emotion that I couldn't quite place, "I was wondering if you would quite possibly like to… well…"

"'Like to?'" I offered, and he seemed to cling to it like a lifeline.

What I wasn't expecting was his offer that followed.

"I apologize, I am usually more adept with these situations…" he uttered under his breath, most definitely more to himself than to me but I was able to catch it, "Would you like to take your lunch break with me?

 _…_

 _…_

 _I've died and gone to heaven. The pearly gates have opened wide and angels are singing glorious songs. Beyond them is an utter god waiting there against the sky, awaiting the opportunity to spend time with me._ _ **Me.**_

 ** _Halleluiah!_**

If I wasn't a puddle of goo before, I was then. Or maybe 'charred remains' was a better way to put it. I was on fire. **Everywhere.**

 _Quick, Jounouchi! Grab the fire extinguisher from the back before this whole place goes up in flames with me!_

I was sputtering like a crackling flame before I could catch my breath. He was waiting so patiently, so calmly like his question had no effect on him whatsoever, but he deserved a proper answer regardless.

Even if his offer didn't mean the same to him as it did me, it was the least I could do for him.

"Um… yeah...YEAH, sure!" My voice must've cracked at every word but it was too late to back out. Full steam ahead. "Just let me go tell my boss that I'm going on my break!"

"Wonderful," he exclaimed with a grin as he carefully drew up from the floor, "I will be waiting outside the store for you then."

And with that, the crimson eyed man glided back outside where I could see him leaning against the brick wall of the exterior. My assent was, as per usual, not as graceful as his, but I carried on and marched my way over to a stunned pair who had just finished helping a few customers.

"I'M GONNA GO ON MY LUNCH HOUR NOW K THANKS BYE."

I didn't even wait for a response, a questioning look or a hint of denial. Anything akin to that would've held me back from my goal; a heavenly man standing at the gates waiting for me.

And there was no way in in hell, or heaven, that I would I keep him waiting.

The melodious bell above the 'gate' chimed loudly as I quickly caught my bearings and strode out.

* * *

Phew, done and done! I'm not as happy as I like to be with this one, but hey, what can you do? Hopefully you guys enjoyed it though! C: Please review because it keeps me going!


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